22-4 Order Psittaciformes, Family Loriidae, Genus Glossopsitta. 



with orange and red markings on flanks; under tail coverts, 

 green ; iris, brown ; feet, ashy grey ; bill, black. 



Measurements. — In the flesh, total length, 180 ni.m. ; wing 

 from body to tip, 136 m.m. ; spread, 305 m.m. ; tarsus, 12 m.m. ; 

 bill, 12 m.m. Little or no difference in sexes. 



Distribution. — New South Wales, Victoria, South Austra- 

 lia, including Kangaroo Island. The bird found in West 

 Australia has been separated into a sub-species. 



Habits. — Noisy, gregarious birds. Of the Lorikeets in 

 South Australia this is the best known for it congregates in 

 great flocks at times, and shifts about according to food 

 supply ; when the Eucalypts have finished blooming in one dis- 

 trict these birds will disappear and find trees in blossom at a 

 great distance. Just before dark they will start off for a fast 

 fly, rising and falling, twisting and turning on very swift wing, 

 then circle back to where they started from and dart into their 

 favourite roosting tree for the night. 



Nest. — No nest is made, the two to five round white eggs 

 are laid on the bare wood of a hollow limb, hundreds of pairs 

 nesting at times in the one locality, taking possession of all the 

 hollow limbs of the Eucalypts for quite a distance round. 

 Nesting season varies in different localities, from August to 

 November. 



Eggs. — The eggs are quite white, and rounded in shape! 

 Average measurement of eleven eggs, 2.13 cm. x 1.77 cm. ; 

 largest egg, 2.15 x 1.80; smallest egg, 2.0 x 1.70. 



Flight. — Very swift and long sustained. 



Food. — Consisting of honey, varied at times by the seeds 

 of Eucalypts. 



Note. — Very shrill and piercing. All the time these birds 

 are feeding, crawling from one blossom to another, or hanging 

 head downwards they are giving forth their shrill calls. They 

 also call a great deal when upon the wing. 



Habitat. — They will be found wherever the trees are in 

 blossom, be it open timber country or thick forest, and are to 

 be found more often than not with other members of the 

 brush-tongued parrots. 



